Maintenance Experience. Software Expertise.
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The GBA Master Series® software suite continuously evolves based on the needs of our clients, target market and strategic partners. These products have dramatically improved, in terms of both technical and functional capabilities, since the inception of the product suite in 1986. New and enhanced features focus on increasing the sophistication of maintenance management applications, asset management solutions, and GIS capabilities.

GBA Master Series products are highly client-driven, with the gbaMS client community contributing approximately 80 percent of the influential product evolution factors. As a company that continuously interacts with end-users and managers, gbaMS receives client input through multiple channels – i.e., through the “Clients Only” Web site, feedback provided directly to project managers and implementation specialists, regional user group meetings, and the gbaMS-hosted Annual Conference & Training.

Target market and partner influences contribute the remaining 20 percent of the driving factors. As asset and facility management practices advance and regulatory requirements change, gbaMS analyses market conditions to stay on top of emerging trends. In this way, the company remains current with market expectations and demands. Partners provide development influence to meet the needs of beneficial integrations and symbiotic relationships that strengthen the value of GBA Master Series products.

product evolution timeline

1986 – George Butler Associates, Inc., an Engineering News Record Top 300 professional consulting engineering firm, began providing sanitary sewer evaluation software to local government agencies in the Kansas City area. This initial release was written in Lotus Symphony.

1987 – It quickly became apparent that the existing software platform required greater speed and storage capacity since all data was stored in RAM. The software underwent a redesign to function as a database package. This Version 2 product was written in Smartware.

Later that same year, software for citywide pavement management was developed. The same engineering practice standards used for the water resources software programs were used to design the Street Maintenance Programs.

1988 – The software underwent another conversion, this time to Smartware II (Version 3). Additional software functionality included work order concepts and customer complaints to the sanitary sewer and street programs.

1990 – GBA’s senior management made a milestone decision to develop a complete suite of infrastructure management software products specifically designed to meet the needs of public works agencies. GBA Master Series became the name of the software suite. The first programs suite included GBA Sewer Master, GBA Street Master, GBA Water Master and GBA Storm Master. This Version 4 realease was written in FoxPro.

1992 – Version 5 was released as a Windows-based product using FoxPro for Windows. ESRI's ArcView 2.x was also linked into the software.

1995 – Microsoft purchased FoxPro. gbaMS recognizes the need for a software product to interface with Oracle and other ANSI Standard Relational Database Systems (RDBMS) became a priority. GBA decides to convert all programs to Microsoft C++ and have it run on Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Access. With the release of Version 6, the programs migrate to a standard look and feel.

1995-1999 – During this time, the GBA Master Series software suite was continually improved and expanded.

2000 – GBA Master Series, Inc. (gbaMS) is officially established as an independent company dedicated to the design, development and support of the GBA Master Series software suite. Don Pinkston, P.E. is named President and CEO; Jim Graham, P.E. is named Vice-President.

gbaMS also launches its Masters in Business Alliance Program (MBA), designed for civil engineering consultants who recommend Infrastructure Management Software (IMS) solutions to public works professionals, utility directors and city managers. gbaMS recognized that alliances better serves America’s infrastructure system while increasing potential revenue opportunities for each firm through the successful implementation of software solutions for public works organizations.

In the fall of 2000, gbaMS held its first annual User Development Conference.

2001 – gbaMS continues to release updated program versions.

2002 – gbaMS is named ESRI’s “Partner of the Year”.

2003 – gbaMS releases Version 6.61 and Version 6.62 which included software updates with supported RDBMS (Microsoft SQL Server and Access; Oracle), video and image displays (Apple QuickTime), and report writer (Crystal Reports).

In addition, several new products are introduced including: GBA Mobile Manager, GBA Accident Master, GBA Bridge Master, GBA Street Light Master, GBA Right-of-Way Master, GBA Signal Master, GBA Tree Master, GBA Parks Master and GBA Facility Master.

2004 – gbaMS completes version 6.70, its most significant release to date. This release included expanded GBA GIS Master® products, including GBA GIS Viewer™. New offerings included an ESRI MapObjects LT-based GIS utility application; and a .NET technology based, ESRI ArcIMS deployed GIS application that provides for user access via Intranet/Internet.

In addition to streamlining its maintenance management applications for increased efficiency, Version 6.70 included a new integrated Work Planning & Budgeting application that allows for complete work cost accounting. gbaMS also develops an interface with third-party financial systems.
What infrastructure management solutions does your agency need? Our seamlessly integrated applications let you customize an enterprise system that fits your agency perfectly.

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Phone: 800.492.2468
Fax: 913.341.3128